From: "Saved by Internet Explorer 11" Subject: Sampling is an important part of a random inspection Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2016 08:53:25 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01D23A66.BBDBB8E0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01D23A66.BBDBB8E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.globalsources.com/NEWS/SIC-sampling-is-an-important-part-of-a-random-inspection.HTM =EF=BB=BF
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Path: Sourcing News & = Advice=20 >> Smart=20 Sourcing >> Sampling is an = important part of=20 a random inspection
By Renaud Anjoran
When=20 I go to factories I like to observe quality inspectors from buying = offices or=20 other QC agencies. Sometimes I see an inspector come in, ask the factory = for a=20 certain number of pieces, and get to =E2=80=9Cwork=E2=80=9D right away. = By =E2=80=9Cwork=E2=80=9D I mean=20 checking products.
While he may feel quite productive, he is seriously cutting =
corners!=20
Here are the main issues I have with this approach.
=E2=80=A2 = Not doing a random=20 pick =E2=80=94 it means the factory can select the best products and = =E2=80=9Cadjust=E2=80=9D them if=20 necessary.
=E2=80=A2 = Not looking at all=20 cartons =E2=80=94 what if some of them are wet, damaged, in different = sizes=E2=80=A6?
This=20 inspector=E2=80=99s report might look great and be full of photos, but = to me it is close=20 to worthless. He hasn=E2=80=99t done a random inspection=E2=80=A6 he = hasn=E2=80=99t tried to estimate=20 the average level=E2=80=A6 he might actually have done an inspection of = the best=20 products!
In=20 short, he skipped the all-important phase of sampling, which ensures=20 randomly-selected products (as representative as possible of the whole = batch)=20 are inspected. He might not see issues that are present on 40% of the = goods, for=20 example, and declare that defects are below the AQL limits.
Companies=20 that use our software for QC inspections have access to a lot of = historical data. They are often surprised by the time their inspectors = spend in=20 the =E2=80=9Ccounting and sampling=E2=80=9D phase and they sometimes = wonder how to cut that=20 time.
Well=20 yes, it does take time. Sometimes 20 minutes, but that=E2=80=99s rare = unless the=20 inspector goes to that factory very often and things are all lined up = nicely.=20 Often it takes 30 to 90 minutes. When there are many SKUs, the products = are=20 spread around the factory, and the staff needs to search for them, it = can take=20 half a day!
Let=E2=80=99s=20 break it down. Why does it take so long?
Finding=20 and counting
First,=20 the products might be in different stages of preparation =E2=80=94 and = different=20 places:
=E2=80=A2 = Some=20 packed
=E2=80=A2 = Some unpacked,=20 waiting in the packing department
=E2=80=A2 = Some unfinished,=20 somewhere in production workshops
The=20 inspector should try to count the products quickly, or at least to = estimate=20 (roughly) the quantity.
Picking
Then=20 the inspector needs to do a picking. If we just say =E2=80=9Cgive me 4 = cartons from each=20 pile=E2=80=9D, the factory staff will naturally pick them from the top = of the piles. I=20 would do the same if I were in their shoes. However, an inspector needs = to get=20 cartons from each part of the pile.
Let=E2=80=99s=20 say it frankly: many times this doesn=E2=80=99t happen for the simple = reason that the=20 factory refuses that extra work and the inspector doesn=E2=80=99t want = to create a=20 conflict that early in his job. If that=E2=80=99s important to you (and = it should be), I=20 suggest you do this:
=E2=80=A2 = Get a confirmation=20 from the supplier about it;
=E2=80=A2 = Request the=20 inspector to take photos/videos of cartons being picked from the bottom = and the=20 center of carton piles.
Why=20 is this so important? A malevolent factory manager might have placed all = the=20 defective pieces at the bottom of the piles. And, from my observations, = this=20 tactic will work with most inspectors.
Transportation
After=20 the picking, the inspector has to supervise the transportation of those=20 carefully picked samples to the place of inspection (often located away = from the=20 packing department=E2=80=A6 don=E2=80=99t ask me why).
A=20 common frustration is having to wait for the lift to be available. It = takes=20 sometimes 30 min if there is an urgent shipment out or delivery = in!
(If=20 the inspector goes back to the inspector room, the factory staff might = open the=20 selected cartons and replace their contents with high-quality = samples=E2=80=A6 Not a=20 risk worth taking.)
Obviously=20 it makes sense to start checking the outer cartons during that time, but = that=20 has to be done in poor conditions. If the inspector works on a mobile = app, he=20 has easy access to specifications. If he needs to get his laptop for = that, no=20 luck=E2=80=A6
In=20 the inspection room
There=20 might be many people in the inspection room, talking and calling the = inspector=E2=80=99s=20 attention. Not great for productivity. Or, worse, there might be nobody = to help=20 unpack the goods!
Picking=20 (again)
And=20 then, once the selected cartons are in the inspection room, the sampling = job is=20 not finished. Here is an example:
=E2=80=A2 = 125 pcs to pick from=20 12 cartons
=E2=80=A2 1 = carton contains 20=20 pcs
=E2=80=A2 = 9-10 pcs are to be=20 picked from each carton
The=20 inspector should ensure the samples are picked from the top and the = bottom of=20 the cartons.
Again,=20 a savvy manufacturer might have placed all the defective pieces at the = bottom of=20 cartons. Maybe I am paranoid, but I am sure it happens from time to = time. It is=20 such an obvious loophole, there is no excuse for not preventing = it.
Most=20 inspectors are in a hurry to get to =E2=80=9Creal work=E2=80=9D, sit = down, and ask the factory=20 staff for help unpacking the goods. From a distance, they don=E2=80=99t = keep an eye on=20 the factory=E2=80=99s picking process. Only the samples from the top get = picked.=20 Mistake.
Double=20 sampling work (in some cases)
If=20 less than 80% (or whatever was required) was ready & packed when the = inspector arrived, the factory often finishes packing later in the day. = They=20 often ask the inspector to do a second sampling.
Here=20 is an example:
=E2=80=A2 = Total quantity:=20 10,000 pcs
=E2=80=A2 = Requirement: 80%=20 packed
=E2=80=A2 = Quantity packed when=20 inspector arrives: 6,000 pcs (60%, not 80%, of the total)
=E2=80=A2 At = that time,=20 inspector picks samples from those 60% only and starts his = inspection
=E2=80=A2 3 = hours later, all=20 remaining 4,000 pcs are also packed, and they are not mixed with the = first=20 60%
=E2=80=A2 = Inspector picks more=20 samples (so that in total he gets to the number he needed to check) from = the=20 40%
=E2=80=A2 = The report mentions=20 that 100% was packed
In=20 theory it should not happen, but it is often tolerated. When one thinks = about=20 it, it does make some sense.
Rather=20 than rushing to finish the job, it is better if packing operators focus = on doing=20 a good job (and creating fewer quality issues). Obviously, the cartons = that were=20 part of the first sampling should be placed aside and not included = again. (This=20 requires a quick check too.)
Conclusion
Some=20 clients have asked us to skip the sampling stage with some of their = suppliers.=20 In practice, a certain number of samples are ready for our inspection = when we=20 arrive. We don=E2=80=99t waste time picking cartons and so = on.
It=20 can makes sense if they have worked with the same manufacturer for years = and=20 there is no question about unethical behavior. At one point, when the = inspection=20 budget gets tighter, something has to give. It might make sense to save = time=20 here rather than skipping some lots. That=E2=80=99s a business decision = and I respect=20 it.
In=20 98% of cases, though, the sampling phase should be given sufficient time = and=20 attention. It is really, really important.
Want=20
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Renaud=20 Anjoran has been managing his quality assurance agency (Sofeast Ltd) = since 2006.=20 In addition, a passion for improving the way people work has pushed him = to=20 launch a consultancy to improve factories and a web application to = manage the=20 purchasing process. He writes advice for importers on qualityinspection.org.
Read more Sourcing=20 News & Advice